Welcome to The Pilots Meeting, a podcast dedicated to uncovering the behind-the-scenes stories of kiting through the voices of the people who lived them. Each episode dives into the moments, decisions, and experiences that shaped the world of kiting, offering listeners a closer look at what really happens beyond the colors in the sky.

Today we catch up with Brett Marchel of Brett Marchel Adventures. Brett has been a staple in kiting for over a decade, performing at festivals with teams like Kite Life and Sky FX as well as individually and in shows by groups like Kiteman Productions. Brett is also an artist, support and lover of all things kites. Brett’s mentality, approaching kites as toys and looking at what we do from the point of view of a circus mirrors my own in many ways. The seriousness and work ethic he brings to the table at the same time has made him one of the best and most well rounded flyiers today.

So, join us as we take a stroll back through Brett’s journey from the first kite all the way to Disney and the World Cup. We talk about some of his projects and even get a behind the scenes look at some of the things that never quite worked along the way.

0:00 Introduction

1:11 Brett Discovers Kites

4:07 To The Internet

7:01 A Well Rounded Pilot

11:28 You Can’t Fly There

15:53 Invitation to India – Brett’s First Festival

19:05 Forming SkyFX

24:30 Kite Design and Prototyping

25:26 Collaborating with John Barresi

28:12 The Original Djinn Prototype

32:07 Open-Minded Kite Design

33:28 Transition to Shows – First Experiences With Kiteman

37:46 Cedar Point and Boardwalk Nights

43:29 The Aurora Project

50:15 Art Kites For South Padre

52:43 Enter The Forest

56:03 Upcoming Events and Performances